PRESS STATEMENT ON THE CURRENT SITUATION IN EAST JERUSALEM AND AT THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE

The tense situation in East Jerusalem and especially at the al-Aqsa mosque has raised a lot of concern among the international community and the muslim world in particular. The fiasco that has been going on for over a week escalated on 16thMarch, when Israeli police used exessive force injuring at least 49 Palestinians.

The Palestinian people and the muslims have no recourse but to rise in defense of the mosque in the wake of the inauguration of the Hurva temple in the vicinity of the mosque. It was a move clearly orchestrated to threaten the mosque and constitute part of the sinister attempt to undermine the mosque and make way for the construction of the Haikal, on the temple mount, the zionist jews have dreamt about. The inauguration of the temple on 15thMarch attended by no less than the Israeli Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, is seen as a spark that would trigger an explosion. In light of this provocative act, Khaled Mish'al, HAMAS spokeperson in Damascus call upon the Palestinian people to relaunch the intifadhah to safeguard the sacred mosque and the holy land. Israel’s decision of building the temple in an Arab residential area is anything but exploiting religious sentiment to further the Zionist agenda in strengthening their grip on Jerusalem.

This move is in tandem with Tel Aviv’s announcement to proceed with the Jewish settlement project of building an additional 1,600 apartment units in East Jerusalem. Eventhough Israel has agreed to cease settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jarusalem in all previous peace arrangements since the Oslo accord in 1991 up to the Annapolis Conference in 2007, however as has been anticipated, Israel will never honour their own words. It has been enshrined in the Constitution of the illegitimate state of Israel that the West Bank which they refer as ‘Judea’ and ‘Samaria’ is an integral part of Israel and that Jarusalem has been declared as the ‘eternal capital’ of Israel. Settlement activities on land expropriated from the Palestinians are part of the grand design to Judaiz the old city of Jarusalem. The presence of the Hurva temple is part of this sinister plan to have an exclusive control on Jerusalem by displacing the muslims and the Cristian Arabs from the city.

At this critical juncture, in light of the depressing moments as they unfold in Esat Jerusalem and at the al-Aqsa Mosque, AQSA SYARIF asserts the followings:-

1. AQSA SYARIF calls upon the leaders of muslim nations to voice their concern and state their stand on the Zionist provocation in the holy land of Jerusalem. Islamic countries must stand united and insist on the United Nations to convene an emergency meeting to discuss on punitive actions on Israel for trampling on the rights of the Palestinian people by stirring religious sentiments.

2. AQSA SYARIF calls upon the international community to coerce Israel to respect all the peace agreements with the Palestine National Authority in particular Israel’s commitment to cease settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel’s move to resume with the settlement activities would certainly lead to the collapse of the peace talks and the so called ‘Two state solution’.

3. AQSA SYARIF calls upon the US to stop shielding Israel which has shown an amazing track record of not complying with the UN resolutions regarding the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Israel’s blatant disregard of the rights of the Palestinian as guaranteed by the UN and enshrined in the 1948 Declaration of human rights has been encouraged by the US foreign policy that supports Israel despite of the latter’s flouting of international laws and gross abuses of human rights.

4. AQSA SYARIF calls upon the muslim nations not to be deceived by the sinister plan of the Zionist that hides behind the peace process to further their occupation agenda of Palestine and Jerusalem. AQSA SYARIF insist that the only viable option for the muslim nations is to stand firm with the Palestinian people by showing solidarity in their struggle to liberate Palestine from the Zionist occupation. The muslim nations has an obligation to assist the Palestinian people with material and moral support and to speak on their behalf in international forums.

5. AQSA SYARIF calls upon Malaysian citizens to shun products that has been known to support Israeli economy. We support the global call for BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) on all products and companies in support of Israel advocated by civil societies and human rights groups all over the world.

6. AQSA SYARIF urges the muslims to protect the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third most sacred mosque in Islam, a duty not only reserved for the Palestinians but on all muslims where ever they are.

7. AQSA SYARIF commends the roles played by various NGOs that supports the Palestinian struggle and their steadfastness in promoting the awareness and solidarity campaign in the Palestinian cause. AQSA SYARIF will continue to work with all parties in raising the conscience of Malaysian citizens to contribute towards the Palestinian cause.

8. AQSA SYARIF pays tribute to the DYMM Yang Dipertuan Agung and stand firm with the Government of Malaysia that has never recognised the illegitimate state of Israel right from Independence and consistently opposes the Zionist occupation on Palestine